Tensions Run High at Brisbane as Aryna Sabalenka’s Racket Outburst Delights Kazakh Rival

The season-opening event of 2025 commenced days ago and we’re already seeing players showing their worst. Aryna Sabalenka, who stepped into action after finishing semifinalist at the year-end WTA Finals in Riyadh, is making news in Brisbane, credits to some wrong reasons. The Belarusian star snapped during her second-round contest against the Russian-born Kazakhstani sensation Yulia Putintseva.

Sabalenka stepped into the Round of 16 on the back of a dominating victory over Mexico’s Renata Zarazúa. Though she produced impressive shot-making skills during that encounter, the Belarusian, unfortunately, wasn’t able to carry a similar energy to the next round.

A string of unforced errors that prevented her from capitalizing on her strengths to overpower Putintseva sparked a sharp response from her. The World No. 1 channeled her frustration in the wrong direction.

During the opening set, Sabalenka suffered a 4-3 deficit and, despite her best efforts to level the play, she couldn’t prevail. After committing an unforced error during the game, she threw her racket in frustration as the Brisbane crowd gasped in utter disbelief. Regardless of her on-court antic, the Belarusian held her own and thwarted performance concerns with her stellar showing in Brisbane.

She faced major resistance in the first set and could only gap the Kazakhstani by a margin of a few points. After closing the set by clinching the tiebreaker 7-2, Sabalenka decided to floor the gas pedal as she proceeded to finesse her second-round rival in the second set without much trouble. She concluded the content with a scoreline of 7-6(2), 6-2.

Fun fact: Since the start of 2023, Sabalenka has won 24 matches in Australia and lost only once, in the Brisbane International final in 2024.

She has now advanced to the quarterfinals but, a day before winning the showdown, Sabalenka addressed her upcoming commitment at the Australian Open. After finishing finalist to Elena Rybakina in Brisbane in the 2024 season, the Belarusian wants to script a successful turnaround at the season-opening event this year. Later, she will aim for a third consecutive victory in Melbourne.

Arna Sabalenka is not concerned about the weight of the Melbourne Slam expectations

Belarusian superstar Aryna Sabalenka has risen as one of the most commanding talents on the WTA circuit in recent years. She iterated her wishes to claim the World No. 1 spot and the year 2024 brought those ambitions to life. And now, she wants a third consecutive title at the Australian Open. However, she is hardly concerned about the weight of pressure and expectations that are upon her.

After winning her first-round battle against Mexico’s Renata Zarazua, Sabalenka addressed her thoughts on the upcoming Melbourne outing during an on-court interview in Brisbane:

“I have to say I’m past that stage of being under pressure. When you’re in the top five, you’re always kind of under pressure with the ranking points and all of the title defenses, so I prefer to just focus on myself. So I always keep myself hungry and I’m always hungry for titles, for wins. Winning is addicting.”

Her addiction might serve as a viable apparatus to channel and focus her energy to dominate the circuit once again in 2025. Next up, the Belarusian will lock horns with Czech player Marie Bouzkova for a place in the last four at the Brisbane International on Friday, January 3.